Bucs Playoff Chances Take Big Hit in Eagles Loss

Philadelphia wide receiver Jeremy Maclin gets his helmet yanked by Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Vinny Curry during Sunday's game at Raymond James Stadium. Martin finished with 128 yards and one touchdown on the afternoon.

ERNST PETERS | THE LEDGER

By DICK SCANLONLEDGER CORRESPONDENT

Published: Monday, December 10, 2012 at 1:19 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, December 10, 2012 at 1:19 a.m.

TAMPA | The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' playoff chances went from slim to almost none late Sunday afternoon when their defense couldn't make a play — one play, any play, by anyone, at any time in the final seven minutes against a team on an eight-game losing streak.

Nick Foles' 1-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Maclin on the final play of the game won it 23-21 for the Philadelphia Eagles, breaking their losing streak and ruining the 10-year anniversary celebration of the Bucs' Super Bowl championship team.

Played before a crowd of 64,941 (and a local TV audience for only the second home game this season), their third consecutive loss dropped the Bucs to 6-7 with three games left.

"Philly found a way to make more plays than us," Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman said. "Whether it was at the beginning of the game or down the stretch, it doesn't matter when it happened, but it happened."

It was a devastating loss for the Bucs, who will have to win their final three games to finish with a winning record — and a very long shot at a playoff berth.

The Eagles (4-9) won for the first time in 10 weeks, and their two-point margin of victory matched their largest of the season.

"To be able to sneak it out like that," Eagles coach Andy Reid said, "that was quite a feat."

For the Bucs, it was almost like losing twice.

They were fortunate to be down only 10-0 after a first half in which they punted seven times, gained only 79 yards and never even got into field-goal range.

Then after Dekoda Watson recovered a muffed punt at the Philadelphia 5-yard line early in the third quarter, the Bucs took control of the game, scoring three touchdowns on their next three possessions.

Freeman, who did not have a good game (14-for-34 for 189 yards), had a very good third quarter, cashing in the turnover with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Mike Williams, then starting a nine-play, 77-yard touchdown drive that culminated with a 13-yard TD pass to Vincent Jackson early in the fourth.

That gave the Bucs their first lead of the game.

An 11-play, 75-yard drive netted a third touchdown on Doug Martin's 4-yard run with only 7:21 left, and the Bucs led, 21-10. Martin set a Buccaneers rookie rushing record with 128 yards on 28 carries, bringing his season total to 1,234 yards.

It wasn't enough because the Eagles would get the football twice more, and score two touchdowns to win it. Their game-winning drive consumed the final 2:44 of the game and included two third-down conversions, a fourth-down conversion and three penalties against the Bucs.

Despite being sacked six times, Foles had his best day in the NFL, completing 32 of 51 passes for 381 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran 10 yards for the only TD of the first half.

The Eagles knew they couldn't run, so they didn't try much, gaining only 29 yards (27 of them by Foles) on 16 carries.

"They're the No. 1 team in the National Football League about stopping the run. We knew that," Reid said. "We knew we were going to have to throw the football."

Foles did throw a couple of interceptions, but the Bucs dropped them.

The most costly drop came with 16 seconds left when Foles forced a third-down pass into the middle, right to cornerback Danny Gorrer.

"When I saw the ball, I kind of got excited and what-not," said Gorrer, who was playing in only his third game with the Bucs. "But the great corners in this game make those (catches)."

It gave Foles another chance. He completed a 22-yard pass to Jason Avant, who went down at the Tampa Bay 1-yard line. After a spike, the Eagles had two seconds left. One play. Foles rolled out and got it to Maclin in the corner.

"We had those penalties that really kept us back from a couple things," said defensive end Michael Bennett, who had two sacks. "We had ample opportunities, we had two interceptions that we didn't get. Those things come back to bite you in championship-type football."

<p>TAMPA | The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' playoff chances went from slim to almost none late Sunday afternoon when their defense couldn't make a play — one play, any play, by anyone, at any time in the final seven minutes against a team on an eight-game losing streak.</p><p>Nick Foles' 1-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Maclin on the final play of the game won it 23-21 for the Philadelphia Eagles, breaking their losing streak and ruining the 10-year anniversary celebration of the Bucs' Super Bowl championship team.</p><p>Played before a crowd of 64,941 (and a local TV audience for only the second home game this season), their third consecutive loss dropped the Bucs to 6-7 with three games left.</p><p>"Philly found a way to make more plays than us," Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman said. "Whether it was at the beginning of the game or down the stretch, it doesn't matter when it happened, but it happened."</p><p>It was a devastating loss for the Bucs, who will have to win their final three games to finish with a winning record — and a very long shot at a playoff berth.</p><p>The Eagles (4-9) won for the first time in 10 weeks, and their two-point margin of victory matched their largest of the season.</p><p>"To be able to sneak it out like that," Eagles coach Andy Reid said, "that was quite a feat."</p><p>For the Bucs, it was almost like losing twice.</p><p>They were fortunate to be down only 10-0 after a first half in which they punted seven times, gained only 79 yards and never even got into field-goal range. </p><p>Then after Dekoda Watson recovered a muffed punt at the Philadelphia 5-yard line early in the third quarter, the Bucs took control of the game, scoring three touchdowns on their next three possessions.</p><p>Freeman, who did not have a good game (14-for-34 for 189 yards), had a very good third quarter, cashing in the turnover with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Mike Williams, then starting a nine-play, 77-yard touchdown drive that culminated with a 13-yard TD pass to Vincent Jackson early in the fourth. </p><p>That gave the Bucs their first lead of the game.</p><p>An 11-play, 75-yard drive netted a third touchdown on Doug Martin's 4-yard run with only 7:21 left, and the Bucs led, 21-10. Martin set a Buccaneers rookie rushing record with 128 yards on 28 carries, bringing his season total to 1,234 yards.</p><p>It wasn't enough because the Eagles would get the football twice more, and score two touchdowns to win it. Their game-winning drive consumed the final 2:44 of the game and included two third-down conversions, a fourth-down conversion and three penalties against the Bucs. </p><p>Despite being sacked six times, Foles had his best day in the NFL, completing 32 of 51 passes for 381 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran 10 yards for the only TD of the first half.</p><p>The Eagles knew they couldn't run, so they didn't try much, gaining only 29 yards (27 of them by Foles) on 16 carries.</p><p>"They're the No. 1 team in the National Football League about stopping the run. We knew that," Reid said. "We knew we were going to have to throw the football."</p><p>Foles did throw a couple of interceptions, but the Bucs dropped them.</p><p>The most costly drop came with 16 seconds left when Foles forced a third-down pass into the middle, right to cornerback Danny Gorrer. </p><p>"When I saw the ball, I kind of got excited and what-not," said Gorrer, who was playing in only his third game with the Bucs. "But the great corners in this game make those (catches)."</p><p>It gave Foles another chance. He completed a 22-yard pass to Jason Avant, who went down at the Tampa Bay 1-yard line. After a spike, the Eagles had two seconds left. One play. Foles rolled out and got it to Maclin in the corner.</p><p>"We had those penalties that really kept us back from a couple things," said defensive end Michael Bennett, who had two sacks. "We had ample opportunities, we had two interceptions that we didn't get. Those things come back to bite you in championship-type football."</p><p>And even against teams on eight-game losing streaks.</p>